1. Planning Business Messages
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2. Learning Objectives Describe the three-step writing process
Explain why it’s important to analyze the situation and define your purpose carefully before writing a message
Discuss information-gathering options for simple messages and identify three traits of quality information
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3. Learning Objectives
List the factors to consider when choosing the best medium for your message
Explain why good organization is important to both you and your audience
Compare and contrast the direct and indirect approaches to organizing a message
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4. The Three-Step Process
Planning
Writing
Completing
Analyze Situation
Gather Information
Select Medium
Get Organized
Revise
Produce Message
Proofread Message
Distribute Message
Adapt to
the Audience
Compose
the Message
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5. Optimizing Your Time 50% planning 25% writing 25% completing
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6. Planning Effectively Find and assemble facts
Deliver compelling information
Reduce indecision as you write
Reduce reworking during completion
Minimize embarrassing blunders
Prepare for analyzing the situation
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7. Analyzing the Situation
Who is the audience?
What is the purpose?
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8. Define Your Purpose General Specific Inform, persuade, collaborate
Your goals, audience actions and thoughts
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9. Analyze Your Purpose Will anything change? Is your purpose realistic?
Is the timing right?
Is the purpose acceptable?
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10. Profile Your Audience Identify primary audience
Determine size and location
Determine composition
Gauge level of understanding
Review expectations and preferences
Forecast probable reaction
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11. Gathering Information
Uncover needs
Find your focus
Provide information
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12. Select the Medium Oral Written Visual Electronic
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13. Oral Communication Conversations Interviews Speeches Presentations
Meetings
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14. Written Communication
Memos
Letters
Reports
Proposals
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15. Visual Communication Communicate fast Clarify complexity
Overcome barriers
Expedite memory
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16. Electronic Communication
Oral media
Written media
Visual media
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17. Choosing the Medium Media richness Message formality Media limitations
Message urgency
Cost factors
Audience preferences
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18. Organizing Information
Get to the point
Omit irrelevant ideas
Use logical groupings
Include important data
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19. Organizing the Message
Helps your audience understand
Helps your audience accept
Saves time for your audience
Makes you more productive
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20. Defining the Main Idea The topic The main idea
The broad subject of the message
The main idea
A specific statement about the topic
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21. Generating Ideas Brainstorming Mind mapping Storyteller’s tour
Journalistic approach
Question-and-answer chain
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22. Limiting Message Scope
Length Limitations
Support Points
Subject matter
Depth of research
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23. Choosing the Approach Direct or Indirect Audience reaction
Message length
Message type
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24. Outlining the Content Alphanumeric Decimal I. First Major Point
A. First subpoint
B. Second subpoint
1. Evidence
2. Evidence
C. Third subpoint
II. Second Major Point
1.0 First Major Point
1.1 First subpoint
1.2 Second subpoint
1.2.1 Evidence
1.2.2 Evidence
1.3 Third subpoint
2.0 Second Major Point
2.1 First subpoint
2.2 Second subpoint
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25. Organization Chart Outlines
The Main Idea
I. Major Point
II. Major Point
III. Major Point
A. Evidence
B. Evidence
C. Evidence
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26. Basic Message Structure
Start with the main idea
State the major points
Illustrate with evidence
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